ICC's list of greatest bowlers a shocker too

[Sachinism]

NEW DELHI: If you thought the International Cricket Council’s list of all-time greats in batting (which appeared on our front page on Wednesday) was a shocker, just check out the bowlers. The famed Indian spin quartet, it’s quite clear from the rankings, was an over-rated bunch, with Bedi the lone entry in the top 100 at No. 74. We can only assume that Ian Chappell was indulging in hyperbole when he described E Prasanna as the best off-spinner he had ever played. Shane Warne, incidentally is ranked 15th, one rung below Derek Underwood. So much for the debate about whether or not Warne is the greatest spinner of all time. His great contemporary, Anil Kumble, trails way behind at No. 43. Other Indians in the list include Kapil Dev, Vinoo Mankad, SP Gupte and Dilip Doshi at numbers 35, 67, 74 and 83. Among pacers, Stuart Clark is placed above the likes of Michael Holding, Shoaib Akhtar, Ian Bishop and Bob Willis. Indeed, Clark at No. 38 is way ahead of teammates Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson. Of Clive Lloyd’s world-beating attack of Holding, Roberts, Garner and Marshall, only Malcolm Marshall ranks in the top 20 in ninth spot, with Holding a lowly 42nd. ...And puts Steyn ahead of Donald, Lillee, Akram ICC’s all-time great list of bowlers is as mindboggling as it’s list of great batsmen was. South African speedster Dale Steyn, after just 30 Tests, a far greater Test bowler than his idol Allan Donald, Dennis Lillee, or Wasim Akram? Well, the ICC thinks so. Steyn is No. 22 in the league of the 100 best-ever Test bowlers while Donald, Lillee and Akram find themselves at 26th, 34th and 59th spots, respectively. Pakistani fans will doubtless be happy to see Imran Khan at No. 3 in the list. But their joy is likely to be shortlived when they discover that Wasim Akram, arguably the greatest left-arm pacer to have played the game, only manages 59th. The injustice extends far into the past. For half a century, Tony Lock could thank Jim Laker for being internationally famous as the man who took the only Aussie wicket Laker did not in his 19-wicket record haul in Manchester. Posthumously, Lock is one up on Laker or actually 16 up, since in the list, Lock is the sixth best Test bowler of all time and Laker only 22nd ICC = FAIL

[cowboysfan]

you are wrong ICC=epic fail

[coffee_rules]

I don't know which dimwit wrote this piece and the other one in TOI about ICC says Hayden greater than Tendulkar. The list in ICC has been there for years, it is the list of highest peak ratings attained by players in the PWC rankings (now Reliance rankings). The ratings are awared by ICC analysts to players using various considerations (albeit favorable to poms and Aussies). This is not the list of greatest cricketers as ranked by ICC. The highest rating attained by an Indian is 905 (I think, by SMG). THis list has no barring on the greatness of a player. Why is this such a big news now. Sloppy journalism!

[punjabi_khota]

I want to slap the writer of this piece. The mother ****er is seriously *****y, and interpreting the numbers in totally meaningless way. WTF

[Dirty_South]

Wat a joke :)

[Guest dada_rocks]

They thought how to get into news and this was the method proposed by con****ants.. come up wiht weird rankings and indian guys will flood the website.. man who the heck cares what icc thinks

[factual]

truth hurts doesn't it tendulkar is a poofta who never does anything meaningful and as for the fat **** bedi he wouldn't get a game of park cricket over here.

[Holysmoke]

truth hurts doesn't it tendulkar is a poofta who never does anything meaningful and as for the fat **** bedi he wouldn't get a game of park cricket over here.

You guys have a park??:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

[Anakin]

truth hurts doesn't it tendulkar is a poofta who never does anything meaningful and as for the fat **** bedi he wouldn't get a game of park cricket over here.

Laughter from your posts hurts more :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: And brilliant nickname, you are a genius

[EnterTheVoid]

oh, for goodness sake, its some dude's opinion last time i checked, opinions aren't facts

[Macj]

Ahh come on dont take it personally, remember Warne didnt rate Anwar highly and all our neighbors went abt burning fonts. Its just his opinion. I think Nicole Kidman is hot all ways till Sunday, my friend thinks she doesnt have knockers so aint hot. I can shout abuse and kick the little cur but he still says the same thing, whattodo? Leggo bru.